Panelle's global journey began in the brilliant UK city of Bristol - a place where vibrant spirit and rich history have continually inspired our growth and values.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we are proud to first remember our roots and honour the locals who have reshaped industries and defied expectations.

So, we are delighted to introduce Jane Duffus - a visionary journalist, editor, and public speaker in Bristol whose career has been defined by her relentless pursuit of truth and her commitment to elevating women’s voices, past and present!

Jane has now put together three books detailing the stories of 750 different women who helped build the city throughout history. It includes everyone from pin-makers to police chiefs, and workhouse inmates to Lord Mayors.

‍'The Women who Built Bristol' books have been a huge success, and the third volume is actually just about to hit the bookshops for Women's History Month 2025!

We went along to Jane's book launch and she shared her pearls of wisdom with Panelle beforehand, as we all celebrate the enduring legacy of women who not only break barriers but also inspire change worldwide...

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What has been your career defining moment as a woman in business?

I was always a writer. First I was a journalist on lots of big newsstand magazines in London, and then I moved into book writing when I came to Bristol. I always thought I was terrified of public speaking until a woman I was working with invited me to be on a panel she was organising.

I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to do it and discovered not only did I love it but also I was pretty good at it. Now I’ve spoken at around 250 events about a huge array of projects, get repeat bookings and such heart-warming compliments afterwards.

This has been a massive boost to my confidence and skills. So I would definitely encourage other women to sometimes say ‘OK’ to something they’re nervous about doing because you never know...

Were there any obstacles you had to overcome as a woman in business?

"I realised we were only told the men’s history of anywhere."

I write books about women who have been overlooked in history and I started doing this because I realised we were only told the men’s history of anywhere. I make a point of calling my books ‘women’s history’ because I want to be honest about what I’m doing, and to really highlight that everything else is ‘men’s history’ rather than ‘history’.

But every so often a certain type of man will tell me that I’m sexist and exclusionary and that I should write about ‘The Men Who Built Bristol’. Amazingly, when I spent six years running a very successful all-female comedy project (What The Frock! Comedy), on two occasions men complained to the council that I was, ahem, breaking the law by putting on events that had a women-only booking policy. Shockingly, the council never bothered to follow up!

What advice would you give to a younger woman looking to join your industry?

Be persistent. The world is changing day by day and what it wants from you is also shifting. Keep a eye on what the people you aspire to be like are doing, and see if you can find a way to put your own spin on it. Also, keep training because you never know how big tech is going to find a way to make you surplus to requirements, so keep evolving.

If you could do one thing to accelerate the pace of change for gender equality, what would it be?

"We need to value the work of women and pay women accordingly for it."

Big businesses need to stop asking women to work for free, or to take a lower than acceptable pay rate, when they want us to come in and do a piece of work. And just as bad are the women who feel they need to accept an unpaid job because it might somehow help their career or profile. We need to value the work of women and pay women accordingly for it.

What’s your go-to advice for preventing burnout?

I’m a long-distance runner, I have a strict training schedule and I stick to it. This means I carve out at least an hour (sometimes two or three!) a day when I am training and focused on a specific goal.

It also means I’m outside all the time, often in terrible weather, and there’s nothing like running for three hours in a horrific storm to make you feel invincible afterwards (admittedly, not so much at the time).

Why do you think it’s important for women to help other women win?

Because only women know what we’re up against. Men may think they know but how can they? They have lived their whole lives with male privilege and often don’t even realise it.

Only women understand what it’s like to grow up as a girl, to learn to be a young woman in a public space, to learn how to navigate the world as a woman. And that’s why we need to support one another.

Finally, please put the spotlight on another woman in business who inspires you.

The journalist and writer Laura K Williams inspires me. Laura has really conquered the art of diversification and moving with the times to keep herself afloat in an industry that is ever-shifting. When I look at her career path, I find that very inspirational. She’s also a cracking writer and very motivated.